It is believed by many physicians and mothers that breastfeeding an infant has various benefits. Some of these benefits may include protecting an infant against infection and viruses, aiding the infant's development process as well as preventing certain diseases such as leukemia, some cancers and juvenile diabetes. Despite the known benefits, however, many mothers find breastfeeding time consuming and inconvenient. Others are unable to nurse their infants because of a lack of privacy in public places.
In the past, breastfeeding systems have allowed mothers to pump their breast milk into a bottle that can be stored for later use. Said inventions require the mother to fully disrobe while she is pumping her breast milk. This requires a mother to seek a private location where she can disrobe comfortably. Said devices also require the mother to hold onto the apparatus and manually pump the breast milk, making it impossible for her to care for her child or perform other tasks at the same time.
Other devices have been designed using discreet pumps that allow the mother to move about freely while pumping her breast milk. Said devices include special elastic brassieres to help support the pump and bottle, leaving the mother's hands free to perform other tasks. However, these devices are uncomfortable and thus undesirable; furthermore, such devices provide discreet pumping but later require the mother to gather the milk from a receptacle, place it into a bottle and later feed her child—this process is time consuming and impractical.
Some devices comprise of a hands-free breast pump and bottle that are supported by elastic bras. Said bras are typically made of an elastic material with slits positioned over the nipple. These slits are used to hold and support the breast pump and bottle. Although said inventions a hands-free mechanism, they often require the mother to disrobe and wear a separate elastic bra with slits, solely for the purpose of pumping her breast milk. This too may be inconvenient for a mother who is in a public place or has to feed her infant in a timely manner.
Another example of other hands-free breastfeeding systems include a portable breast pumping system that comprises a breast receptor, body strap and a collection container for receiving the breast milk. The body strap is used to securely support the breast receptor and the collection container against the mother's body. While such devices allow the mother to move about freely while pumping her breast milk, it is too complicated and bulky for practical use. Such devices often utilize several other elements including, for example a waist belt, a refrigeration container, and a breast receptor support bra. Such extra elements may be costly and difficult to use. Such devices also allow breast milk to flow from the mother's breast into a container, not allowing the infant to be fed directly, which is often desirable for many mothers as a preferred practice of feeding their child.
There is a need in the art for a breastfeeding system that allows mothers to nurse their infants directly, rather than by a bottle. Specifically, there is a need for a device that is discreet and allows a mother to hold her infant or perform other tasks, rather than a pump, throughout the feeding process. There is also a need for a system that allows mothers to nurse their infants in public places without having to disrobe or change their brassieres. A simple system that is easy to use and convenient is necessary for mothers who need to nurse their infants quickly. It is to these ends that the present invention has been developed.